You may think you know where the best place in town is to get pizza, but I recently found a joint with can’t-stop-eating pizza, plus some other saucy perks!

Sauce’d in El Dorado Hills harmoniously mixes everyone’s favorites – wood-fired pizzas, awesome appetizers that don’t include a buffet of fried food, and fresh creative salads – with a swanky cocktail menu that could get you “sauced” in no time. With names like the Zentini, the Clucking Rooster and the Smokin’ Kitty – how can you not have fun choosing your drink?

Since fun was the first order of business on a recent outing with friends to this neighborhood hot spot, we quickly picked a table on the ever-inviting open patio that Sauce’d shares with El Dorado Hills Saloon. We sat down for an evening of catching up and chowing down on good food and drinks. With that in mind, we quickly decided to order several things to share. But first things first, we placed our beverage order. Two at the table went with nice glasses of white wine, while myself and other cohort couldn’t help but to spice things up with one of their signature drinks on the “Mixology” menu.

To go with pizza-style fare, I opted for the beverage aptly named The Hot Italian. With Bacardi Melon Rum, Bacardi Superior, cucumber, jalapeño, agave nectar and club soda, the cocktail had a refreshing kick and was dangerously easy to drink. Whistles now wet, we munched on Mozzarella Knots to start (delectable with garlic-buttered bread stuffed with Mozzarella cheese) and in between sips of our yummy drinks and giddy conversation, we devoured the Salami & Provolone Board – clearing it of all Kalamata olives, red peppers, apples, hunks of salami, and Provolone, feta and Mozzarella cheeses.

Before we knew it, the sun was setting and our piping hot pizzas appeared. With our adventurous spirits still soaring, we each commented on the contrasting (in a good way) flavors and tastes of our intermingling slices of pizza. In one hand I had The BBQ Chicken (pictured above), with marinated chicken (in housemade BBQ garlic sauce), onions, cilantro, smoked Gouda and Mozzarella cheese. Delicious. In my other buttery hand I tried the Garlic Wild Mushroom  – my favorite – made with garlic cream sauce, Mozzarella cheese, cremini and shiitake mushrooms, sprinkled with arugula and scallions and topped with white truffle oil. I’ll be back for another slice of that soon…and my Hot Italian.

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